The Riviera Set

Starred review from July 24, 2017
The Château de l’Horizon served as a social hub on the French Riviera between the 1920s and ’60s, and here Lovell (The Churchills: In Love and War) presents a textured and meticulously researched history of a scintillating era on the Mediterranean coast. The author deftly juggles a vast array of characters, most notably the château’s indomitable visionary and hostess nonpareil, Maxine Elliott, and her close friend Winston Churchill, whose rejuvenating visits, as Lowell reveals, were vital to his reemergence onto the political stage on the eve of World War II. The first quarter of the book serves as a prechâteau biography of Elliott, highlighting the allure of her beloved property as a site for the rich and royal to revel in the architecture, fashion, and decor. Lovell illustrates that Elliott’s guests were well-known around the world, and their dalliances at the château were both historically relevant and highly entertaining. Lovell bridges the Edwardian age and postwar Europe, as cultural and political shifts brought more Americans and money usurped style as the most valuable currency in the region. Photos.

July 1, 2017
Lovell (The Churchills: In Love and War, 2011, etc.) turns her attention to the French Riviera between the wars and into the 1960s.Like the author's tale of the Mitford family, this is a gossipy book with courtesans and famous politicians hopping from chateau to chateau and bed to bed. Though British wealth ruled the 1920s and '30s, after World War II, the Americans and Europeans took over. Within this glamorous milieu, one always needed money, but breeding, talent, beauty, sociability, and a good sense of humor were also very important. The author anchors the story with a biography of American actress and businesswoman Maxine Elliott (1868-1940), a grande dame of the scene. Though she is relatively unknown today, Elliott amassed a fortune--with helpful advice from J.P. Morgan--and built the much-visited villa the Chateau de l'Horizon in 1932. Invitations to her events were always highly sought-after, and she gave parties from morning to night. Winston Churchill, in his wilderness years, found sanctuary with her in his own suite of rooms to accommodate his staff. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, at loose ends after WWII, depended on Elliott for privacy and a safe haven. The list of guests is endless and includes Daisy Fellowes, Doris Castlerosse, and Lady Diana Cooper, ladies well-versed in enjoying the moment. The postwar years without Elliott made it a sunny place for shady people, until it was sold to Aly Khan, whose fascinating best friends were Elsie de Wolfe and the incomparable Elsa Maxwell. It was Maxwell who introduced Khan to Rita Hayworth, which led to the wedding of the century. As the rich and famous built larger and flashier homes along the Riviera, the days of Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward gave way to visits by the Kennedy family, Onassis family, and other high-profile guests. Lovell packs in as many celebrities as possible, which makes for an entertaining book but not one likely to end up on a reference shelf.

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August 1, 2017

This work embodies a place with personality and panache--the French Riviera, particularly the Chateau de L'Horizon. Lovell (The Churchills: In Love and War; The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family) does a fine job in providing the gossip without salaciousness in this well-researched volume that takes readers from the villa's original builder, constructed in 1932 by architect Barry Dierks for actress and businesswoman Maxine Elliott, to the glamour of its final resident, Italian Prince Aly Khan. Elliott's most famous friend was British prime minister Winston Churchill, who came to the estate to paint and relax during the interwar years. Later occupied during World War II by the Germans, its magic was revived under Khan's ownership and instrumental in his wooing of his second wife, Rita Hayworth. Although an enjoyable read, this book does suffer from some uneven treatment. The sections describing Elliott and Churchill's relationship and the biographical information about Khan are particularly strong; however, some details seem unimportant in the context of the history. VERDICT Entertaining and well cited, this work best suits audiences interested in the unknown stories of the jet-setters of the 1930s and 1950s and fans of the Countess of Carnarvon's Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey.--Maria Bagshaw, Elgin Community Coll. Lib., IL

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